17 Oct Magical Getaway in Woodstock
As Hudson Valley residents, my husband and I are always on the lookout for great places to go for a romantic overnight that are fairly close to home. Over the years, we’ve gone as far afield as Lake George or the Berkshires (1-2 hour drives), we love The Mohonk Mountain House, which is always an amazing trip of historic significance considering when it was built and the magnificence of the hotel itself (a 1/2 hour drive). We love going into New York City and have had fun exploring different hotels, restaurants and the theater, also a 2 hour drive from home.
But who would ever think that right in our hometown there is a truly special gem of an inn, that is also a survivor from an earlier time. I’m speaking about the Woodstock Inn on the Millstream! The sweetest spot which is nestled into the coziest corner, on the stream and just a few blocks from our delightful village. It was Richard’s birthday and we had to get up and work the next day so we couldn’t go too far from home – so we decided this would be a fun adventure – and it was!
I have great admiration for the owners of The Inn for the excellent job they’ve done in renovating, sprucing up and keeping alive this historic Woodstock inn which was first built in 1947 after World War II as a tourist court. Here’s a great definition of a tourist court.
Tourist camps and courts were a common form of lodging for travelers in the United States from the 1930s to the 1960s. The terms “tourist camp” and “tourist court” were used to describe both an individual cabin or room rented for the night and the business as a whole. In their early days, they typically consisted of stand-alone structures that looked and functioned like small houses, with as few as four units to rent. Those built during and after World War II were increasingly likely to be under a single roof in the form recognizable today as motels. By the 1940s and 1950s, many tourist courts offered room telephones, cafes, gas, and even swimming pools and air-conditioning. “Motel” (a blend of motor and hotel) became a popular term beginning in the 1940s and implied more rooms and greater conveniences to travelers. The terms co-existed into the 1950s and early 1960s, after which “tourist court” was largely dropped by business owners and the general public.
The current owners have done a great job in transforming what was once a seedy local motel that housed many famous rock and roll musicians in the 60’s, into a garden paradise by the stream. They also feature a delicious breakfast that included lox, bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon the day we were there! Wow!
Kudos – another example of how someone who is committed to preserving the past, can continue to enrich us all and provide a beautiful experience close to home!
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